


A True and Proper Saiyan

by NeurotropicAgentX



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Body Swap, Canon-Typical Violence, Deception, Dubious Consent, Identity Porn, M/M, Saiyan Culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-15 22:05:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13040394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeurotropicAgentX/pseuds/NeurotropicAgentX
Summary: When Kakarot returns from dealing with the last members of the Ginyu Force he seems completely different, claiming to have maimed Ginyu for no better reason than because he wanted to. Vegeta is sure this means that Kakarot has finally accepted his heritage and become the saiyan warrior he was always meant to be. There’s definitely no other possible explanation.





	A True and Proper Saiyan

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thank you to my awesome editor for all her assistance.

Vegeta flew off, leaving Kakarot to face the last two member of the Ginyu Force alone. There were Dragon Balls to find and the only reason to stay would have been to make sure that the un-saiyan bastard finished the kills. Kakarot was powerful enough not to need the assistance and the truth of that was deeply bitter. Vegeta had _dreamed_ of finding another surviving saiyan who wasn't pathetic and weak like Raditz or Nappa. It was why he had waited on Earth in the middle of combat for the mere _rumour_ of a powerful saiyan warrior. 

In terms of raw power, Kakarot hadn't disappointed. It was everything else, from his behaviour to his attitude, that flew in the face of their heritage. Growing up on Earth among the humans had somehow infected Kakarot and overwritten everything he should have been with this... twisted mockery of a saiyan warrior. Vegeta's instincts around another powerful saiyan were a complex mess and the indignity of Kakarot's situation only made things worse.

Vegeta leant his back against the outside of Freeza's spaceship and tried to put the matter from his mind. The human and the half-saiyan brat had finished digging up the Dragon Balls and once they'd activated them, Vegeta would be ready to swoop in and claim his immortality. They dithered over the summoning for a while before admitting defeat. Vegeta let his head thunk back against the side of Freeza’s ship. Everyone was pathetic.

Just as he was about to break cover, Kakarot arrived with Jeice in tow. Vegeta's lip curled up in a sneer. Not killing an opponent was bad enough, bringing one back like a stray was worse. Vegeta left the cover of the spaceship and strode up to the gathering. 

Gohan was eyeing Jeice sceptically. The kid had more sense than his own father. 'Uh, Dad, are you sure about him?'

'Uh, yeah,' said Kakarot, scratching at the back of his head. At least he had the decency to look mildly embarrassed. 

'I'm a good guy now,' said Jeice. 'I think Freeza is wrong.'

Gohan didn't look convinced. 

'No, I believe you...' Krillin said slowly. 'This isn't the first time a bad guy's turned over a new leaf. Just look at Piccolo, or Tien and Chiaotzu for that matter. Welcome to the good guys, Jeice.' Krillin offered his hand.

Jeice blinked, looking first at Kakarot and then back at Krillin. He held out his own hand. 'Thanks. Yeah, it's… good to be good now.'

'If everyone's done making friends, there are more important things to think about,' Vegeta snarled. He turned to Kakarot. 'Did you at least kill Ginyu? Or did you just beat him into the ground and get him to promise to never do it again?'

Kakarot narrowed his eyes. ‘With the wounds I gave him he's not going to be a problem. He’s probably dead by now.'

Vegeta blinked. Was this Kakarot’s first kill? He smirked. 'What did he do that made you leave him like that?' Vegeta asked.

Kakarot took a step forward into Vegeta's space. His demeanour was completely different. 'He got in my way.'

Vegeta's breath caught. He leaned forward and was fiercely pleased when Kakarot held his ground. 'That's the first proper saiyan thing I've ever heard you say. Maybe even a soft weakling like you is capable of learning.'

'Soft? I'm stronger than you, Vegeta. You ran from... from Ginyu. You knew you didn't have what it takes. You've always been a weakling.'

A heady mix of rage and elation rose in Vegeta. Kakarot was pushing back in just the right way. 'I've destroyed entire _civilisations_ while you don't have the stomach for a single kill. There's more to strength than power level.'

For the first time a spark of calculation glinted in Kakarot's eyes. 'Is there now? And I suppose you know something about that?'

Vegeta grinned. 'Of course. I'd be... _more_ than happy to tell you about what it means to be a saiyan.'

'Dad, are you feeling alright?' Gohan interrupted. 

Kakarot looked nervous as he glanced over at Gohan. 'Yes! I'm fine!'

Jeice was looking worried too. He should be. Kakarot's patience for a defeated opponent would eventually wear thin now that he was finally accepting what he was.

Vegeta glanced at Gohan. 'You should pay attention, kid. This is how you'll be one day. I don't know if it was time, or if Kakarot just needed to reach a certain power level, but this is what was buried in him all along and it's what's buried in you.'

'Goku's nothing like you, Vegeta!' Krillin yelled.

'He's a saiyan! He's a lot more like me than he is like you,' Vegeta retorted. And it was true now, somehow, and it was a profound relief.

'Hey!' Kakarot called, holding his hands up placatingly. 'It's fine. I need to talk to Vegeta about some things, but I'm still a good guy.' He paused. 'And so is Jeice, so just... everyone get along.'

Krillin nodded slowly. 'Okay, but hurry up, we need to work out how to activate the Dragon Balls.'

Kakarot nodded before turning back to Vegeta. 'You can tell me about how saiyan power levels work.'

'Perhaps, but I'm not about to discuss it with your little friends. Join me in Freeza's ship where we'll have a little privacy.'

Kakarot nodded decisively. 'That suits me just fine.'

Vegeta noticed the way Kakarot was getting more and more agitated the further they got from his friends and the deeper they went into Freeza's ship.

///

Gohan stared hard after Vegeta and his dad. There was something off about this and deep down he worried that Vegeta might be right. When Gohan was pushed to his limits, when he needed to access another kind of power level, he had found something buried inside him. Something concerning. And just maybe that was something that came from being part-saiyan, that came from his dad.

‘So…’ said Krillin. ‘What made you finally decide to join the good guys, Jeice?’

Jeice blinked and looked down at the ground. ‘Uh, Goku was just… really persuasive. He was… powerful… and not afraid of Ginyu.’

Krillin nodded. ‘Yeah, Goku really doesn’t like bullies and he’s never been intimidated by them.’

‘Bullies?’ Jeice asked.

‘Yeah!’ said Krillin. ‘If Goku suspects someone’s stepping on the little guy, or picking on someone weaker just because they can, well, he’ll sort them out in no time.’

Jeice’s brow creased. ‘But why? He’s so powerful, what does he care?’

‘Because it’s wrong, of course! Having power is about protecting people and doing what’s right. People who use their power to hurt people are just bullies.’

‘So that’s why you guys do what he says?’

Krillin laughed. ‘I mean, Goku’s a good warrior and if he tells you to do something in the middle of fight, it’s generally a good idea to do it, but he doesn’t order us around or anything. We’re friends.’

Jeice looked thoughtful. 

Gohan decided to join the conversation. ‘It’s very different being part of the good guys. I’ve seen what your side’s like. When Vegeta was on Earth he killed one of his own teammates for not being strong enough. Does that sort of thing happen a lot in Freeza’s army?’

Jeice glanced off to one side. ‘Sometimes. We in the Ginyu Force aren’t disposable though. We’re the best there is. Were.’

Gohan folded his arms. ‘No one’s disposable to us. And it doesn’t matter whether they’re part of the team or not. I hope you really do want to join us.’

Jeice met Gohan’s gaze for a moment before looking away again. ‘Well I said I did. Why wouldn’t I want to join you guys?’

///

Once they'd taken a few turns and were out of range for the eyes and ears of the rest of Kakarot's little group, Vegeta stopped and turned. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. The insult of adopting such a relaxed pose was tempered by the way he couldn't stop staring. Kakarot was watching him right back, his expression cold and assessing. There was a restlessness to him that Vegeta couldn’t help but find appealing.

Kakarot clenched and unclenched his fists by his sides. Vegeta tried not to let it get to him. They really didn't have time for a proper drawn out fight, more the pity. 'What's wrong with me?' Kakarot asked.

Vegeta barked a laugh. 'For the first time in your life, things are finally right with you.'

'What does that even mean!?'

Vegeta uncrossed his arms and pushed off the wall so he could stalk up to Kakarot. 'You're a saiyan and you're finally acting like one. Maybe all you needed was to reach the right power level and suddenly this… a true saiyan warrior.'

Kakarot was watching him through narrowed eyes and listening closely. The coiled violence in him was almost palpable. Maybe there would be time for a quick fight. ‘Go on.’

'What do you feel like doing, right now?' Vegeta asked.

'I don't think I should answer that question.'

It was amusing that Kakarot was even now clinging to whatever un-saiyan thoughts were making him afraid of his own abilities and desires, but unhelpful. As fast as he could, Vegeta balled up a fist and threw a punch at Kakarot's face. He wasn't expecting the blow to land, given their respective power levels, but Kakarot barely had time to register surprise, let alone dodge. Vegeta took it as a testament to just how much Kakarot's newly awakened saiyan instincts were impacting him. Vegeta grinned, sharp and dangerous. Maybe they were nearly on equal footing right now.

'What was that for!?' Kakarot roared.

'Answer my fucking question!' Vegeta yelled back. 'Stop trying to run from what you are! What are feeling right now?'

'I feel like I want to hurt you! I want to fight you and not hold back and grapple and tear at each other...' Kakarot trailed off. He was still holding back.

Vegeta nodded, still grinning. 'And then what?' he asked quietly.

'I want to attack you with my mouth, press up against you. What...' He trailed off again and grabbed at his own hair. 'What's wrong with me? I never wanted you before!'

Vegeta ignored the sting in the last comment. Kakarot was finally coming to terms with himself, but it couldn't have been easy. His true instincts had been suppressed for so long. 'That is part of being a saiyan. We grow more powerful after every defeat. Every survivable defeat, that is. What better way to make sure you survive a fight than picking an opponent who doesn't want to kill you—who wants something more than that.'

Kakarot was staring at him and the bloodlust in his expression was unmistakable and deeply gratifying. 'That's insane.'

‘It’s what you are! What _we_ are. And that's why it's so obscene that you spare defeated enemies. Enemies that _were_ trying to kill you. I hoped when you got your friend to spare me back on Earth, wondered if you knew what it meant...' Vegeta waved away the line of thought. 'It doesn't matter. You're acting properly now and maybe you finally _understand_.'

'It's just this stupid body!' 

' _Your_ body, the body of a saiyan!' Vegeta threw another punch. It was partially out of frustration, but the bigger reason was his own body and the instincts that came with it. He wanted to throw himself against Kakarot’s strength just as badly.

Kakarot was ready for it this time and he blocked. Then he struck back, too quick for Vegeta to dodge. Pain lanced through his jaw and his head turned with the force of the blow. He looked back at Kakarot and laughed. 'Oh, we really don't have time for this,' he pointed out. The way he was staring probably undermined his point. 

The heat in Kakarot's eyes was intense and his gaze was riveted on one corner of Vegeta's mouth. Vegeta swiped his hand across his jaw, unsurprised when it came away bloody. He licked the stain off his glove and Kakarot made a noise like he'd just been kicked in the gut. Vegeta grinned. 'Well, I suppose there's time for a quick fight. It would be a shame to force you to suppress those instincts now that you're finally feeling them.'

‘You want to fight me?’ Kakarot asked, like he was testing the idea.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. ‘Obviously we can’t have a real no-holds-barred dragged-out fight. Just something to take the edge off.’ He settled into a proper stance, gratified by the way Kakarot’s breath picked up in response and the way he clenched his fists. ‘Come and get me,’ Vegeta taunted, grinning.

There was a flicker of indecision in Kakarot’s eyes, but it was swept away beneath real saiyan bloodlust. It was gorgeous. Kakarot roared and lunged forward. There was no way to manoeuvre in the narrow corridor of Freeza’s ship, no space for complex tactics. Vegeta met Kakarot’s charge, trying to strike out and avoid direct grappling. He aimed for the few visible wounds from Kakarot’s fight with the Ginyu Force. They were weaknesses, exploitable, and a deeper part of Vegeta wanted to paint his own marks over the top of them. 

There was no finesse in Kakarot’s attacks and he wasn’t drawing on his energy. This was about bodies and the physical fight and Vegeta was thrilled that Kakarot seemed to understand that instinctively. Vegeta landed a strike against Kakarot’s jaw and Kakarot growled at him before burying his fist in Vegeta’s gut. His armour took most of the blow, but pain still lanced through him. He pushed off the ground, jumping more than flying, and put his whole weight into a strike aimed at Kakarot’s shoulder. There was no space to dodge, so Kakarot blocked instead, Vegeta’s fist just managing to clip the joint. There was enough power in the hit that Kakarot grunted and lunged back, striking out with several quick punches. Vegeta blocked and dodged as much as he could, his height an advantage in such close quarters. 

Vegeta pushed off the wall and his foot lashed out, connecting solidly with Kakarot’s knee. Kakarot grunted, his stance faltering. Vegeta followed it up with a quick sweep and managed to knock Kakarot off balance. In a last-ditch effort, Kakarot caught Vegeta’s ankle and pulled. They crashed together, landing tangled on the floor of Freeza’s ship. Kakarot’s back thudded against the wall. Vegeta surged forward and tried to get his hands on Kakarot’s throat, but Kakarot caught his wrists. They were close enough to share breath, Vegeta practically in Kakarot’s lap. Vegeta could feel the heat radiating off Kakarot’s body and he knew Kakarot could feel his. He moved first, closing the meagre distance between them and sinking his teeth into Kakarot’s lip. 

Kakarot’s grip on his wrists vanished and he grabbed at Vegeta’s shoulders and back, pulling him close, his own mouth eager and hungry against Vegeta’s. 

An overwhelming sense of rightness flooded through Vegeta. The scent and feel of another saiyan, a saiyan who was a worthy opponent, was everything he’d been craving for years. His hands tugged at Kakarot’s clothing, seeking skin. The arrogance it took to wear fragile cloth instead of armour was just one more thing about Kakarot that was a simultaneous taunt and enticement.

Vegeta got his hands beneath that stupid orange cloth and raked his nails down Kakarot’s chest. It earned him a sharp noise and Kakarot bit hard at his lip, drawing blood. Intentional or not, the taste of copper between them made Vegeta’s head swim. 

They really didn’t have time for this. The fight had been more important than anything that came after, and just having the dull throb of pain from Kakarot’s strikes was enough for now. Especially with the evidence of Vegeta’s own strikes on Kakarot’s jaw and the way he was favouring his shoulder. Vegeta pulled back for air. Kakarot was panting and wild-eyed, his lip split and his teeth bared. The sight was almost magnetic enough to draw Vegeta back in, but there were more important things to do.

'Listen, Kakarot,’ he said. ‘Your idiot friends should work out how to summon the dragon soon and it needs to be before Freeza catches up with us. But it should be both of us. When I make the wish to be immortal, I'll wish it for both of us. The two remaining pure saiyans. We'll be undefeatable. We can test our power against each other forever, growing stronger with each fight, and there won't be a being in this universe strong enough to oppose us. You and me.'

Some of the heat faded from Kakarot’s eyes and he looked vaguely uncomfortable. Maybe he had grasped the magnitude of Vegeta’s offer. He was spared the need to respond when a loud crash came from outside the ship.

'What now!?' Vegeta snapped. 

Kakarot shrugged. His gaze slid away from Vegeta’s and darted around the corridor. Vegeta dismissed it and went outside, Kakarot trailing along behind him. 

Krillin, Gohan and Jeice were all fanned out in front of the Dragon Balls, facing Ginyu. The wound in Ginyu’s chest looked deep and his hand was clutching at it to stem the bleeding. It was impressive that he'd had the determination to come after them, as wounded as he was, and it was gratifying to see the evidence of Kakarot's new approach.

'You should kill him,' Vegeta said with a grin. 'I'd like to see you really deal with one of your enemies.'

Kakarot was silent. Vegeta was about to turn to face him when Gohan ran forward to... hug Ginyu. 

'Dad!' Gohan called out. Krillin was relaxing his guarded pose and Jeice had backed away and was looking around nervously.

Vegeta shook his head. This didn't... this didn't make any sense. He flew forward to demand answers.

'Are you insane?' he yelled at Gohan. 'That's Ginyu!'

'Hi Vegeta!' Ginyu called out, smiling. 'It's me, Goku. Ginyu swapped bodies with me.'

Vegeta froze. 'No. No, it's not possible. That's impossible!' 

The stupid, _friendly_ expression on Ginyu's face was all too familiar, had been haunting Vegeta since Earth. Somehow, against all reason, this truly was Kakarot. He spun around to face Ginyu, still inhabiting Kakarot's body. So many things immediately snapped into place. 

It was Ginyu's will currently twisting Kakarot's expression into a sneer. Ginyu who had been unable to handle a saiyan's instincts and had... Vegeta realised that the sound that had been on the edge of his hearing was his own scream of rage. He flew at Ginyu, fully intending to kill him. The only thing worse than a saiyan who didn't act like one was some nothing alien _pretending_ to be a saiyan.

///

Jeice looked uneasily between Goku-in-Ginyu’s body and the vicious fight happening in the shadow of Feeza’s ship.

‘Wow, I’ve never seen Vegeta fight like that,’ Goku said.

‘He’s… really not holding back,’ said Krillin. ‘It’s a little uncomfortable seeing him fighting, well, _you_ , like that.’ 

Jeice was thinking through his options. He’d backed away and everyone had forgotten about him when Vegeta had started blasting Ginyu. He was grateful for the distraction but he hadn’t gone too far. Ginyu wasn’t fighting back properly and his intention was obvious if you knew what to look for. Jeice knew what it meant and was surprised Goku couldn’t see it, considering that the same trick had been pulled on him. The only question was whether to warn these aliens or not. It was clear Ginyu hadn’t gotten any useful information from Vegeta about why he’d been weaker once he’d swapped bodies with Goku. And now he was going to swap with Vegeta and end up with the exact same problem in the body of another saiyan.

Jeice had been playing along with Ginyu’s plan and hadn’t actually wanted to join the ‘good guys’. At least, not initially. Now it looked like maybe it was the better option. There wasn’t much of a future as part of the largely dead Ginyu squad and Freeza didn’t tolerate failure. 

‘Hey! Uh, Goku. Are you strong enough to defeat Freeza?’ Jeice called out. 

Krillin and Gohan started and immediately dropped into fighting stances. Jeice held his hands out and tried to look non-threatening. At least Goku looked more thoughtful than hostile. ‘I’m not sure,’ he admitted, ‘but I’ll do my best.’

Jeice sighed. Close enough. ‘Ginyu’s letting Vegeta beat him because he’s going to swap bodies again. You’ve got to get in between him and Vegeta at just the right time to stop him and get your body back.’

Gohan shot him a quick smile. ‘I wondered if you meant it.’

Jeice shrugged awkwardly. ‘I… didn’t. Not then. But I do now. I’ll let you know when you need to move. Get ready.’

‘Right.’ Goku nodded once, hard determination settling oddly on Ginyu’s face.

Jeice turned to watch the fight closely. Vegeta was being utterly brutal and Ginyu was barely defending himself, letting Goku’s body soak up the damage. It was getting close to the point where Ginyu would force the swap. Jeice signalled Goku. ‘Okay, get in position and get ready to move when I shout.’

Goku got closer. Even badly injured, he could read the fight and keep himself close without getting involved. Maybe he really did stand a chance against Freeza. Jeice hoped so. He was staking everything on these aliens. 

///

Goku watched the fight and waited for Jeice’s signal. Ginyu’s body felt weird and even if it hadn’t been injured he would have wanted to swap back. Vegeta threw an energy blast and Ginyu was thrown back hard enough to leave a trail in the dirt. Then he got slowly to his feet and grinned. Goku tensed as Ginyu opened his mouth and began the familiar chant he’d used right before the swap.

Vegeta was snarling and didn’t realise the danger he was in. Goku’s gaze flicked over to Jeice. Jeice looked grim and locked eyes with Goku. Any second now… 

‘Now!’ Jeice shouted. 

Goku leapt between Ginyu and Vegeta without hesitation. Ginyu’s energy collided with his and a flash of light enveloped them both. Goku fell to the ground with a thud. The ground and the sky felt like they were spinning around him and he couldn’t get his bearings. Far off to one side he caught a glimpse of Ginyu’s body crashing down as well. It had worked.

‘Kakarot!’ Vegeta bellowed from somewhere above them.

‘Uh? Vegeta… what?’ he called back, staggering to his feet. He looked up. Something flickered across Vegeta’s expression, but it was gone in an instant. He turned in the air, facing Ginyu’s body and unleashed a huge blast of power. 

Even with the distance, Goku threw his hands up in front of his face. Off to the right he saw Krillin, Gohan and Jeice doing the same. The attack was overwhelming and Vegeta just kept pouring energy into it. 

‘Vegeta, stop!’ Gohan shouted over the roar of energy.

The attack went on for several more seconds. Vegeta’s face was locked into a twisted snarl. Then it stopped. Vegeta lowered his hand and hung in the air, panting. The spot where Ginyu had been lying was a smoking crater, its sides warped by heat and energy. Vegeta drifted back down to the ground, landing lightly. 

Goku walked unsteadily toward Vegeta. ‘That was a lot of power,’ he said. ‘Are you okay?’

Vegeta looked up at Goku. His expression looked… bleak. There was a long moment of silence before Vegeta spoke. ‘Shut _up_ , Kakarot.’ With no further words he turned around and walked off toward Freeza’s ship, his gait just a little unsteady after channelling that much energy.

Goku shrugged and made his way back over to his friends and Jeice. ‘Same old Vegeta, I guess,’ he said. Then he turned and offered Jeice a wide smile. ‘Thanks for helping us out. It looks like you really are one of us. Welcome to the good guys!’ 

Jeice scratched at the back of his head. His answering smile was tentative. ‘Thanks.’


End file.
